Galanin-like peptide (GALP) is a known mediator of metabolism and reproduction; however, the role GALP plays in the onset of puberty is unknown. First, we tested the hypothesis that central GALP administration could rescue puberty in food-restricted weanling rats. GALP treatment in food-restricted rats of both sexes rescued the timing of the onset of puberty to that seen in ad lib fed controls. Second, we tested whether GALP translation knocked-down in ad lib fed, prepubertal rats would alter the timing of puberty. Knock-down females, but not males, showed a significant (P < 0.01) delay in the onset of puberty compared to controls. Third, we sought evidence that GALP's role in pubertal onset is mediated by the kisspeptin system. In situ hybridization analyses showed a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in Kiss1 mRNA within the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus in food-restricted rats compared to ad lib fed controls and that this reduction was prevented with intracerebroventricular (ICV) GALP administration. Furthermore, analyses of Fos-ir expression following ICV GALP treatment did not elicit Fos-ir within any kisspeptin neurons, nor are GALP and kisspeptin peptides or mRNA colcoalized. These data demonstrate that hypothalamic GALP infusion maintained the onset of puberty in food-restricted weanling rats, but probably not via direct innervation of kisspeptin neurons. Published 2012 This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.